The present invention relates generally to cloths used for washing, dusting, polishing, or waxing items, such as cars, and more particularly to wash cloth assemblies that contour both a person""s hand and the surface of the item being cleaned.
A cloth or buffer is an essential tool for washing a car by hand. Typically, the cloth is composed of a material that has good water and soap absorption properties, and is soft enough so as not to scratch the paint surface of the car, such as sponge or sheep""s wool. The person washing the car will conventionally use a hose to pre-soak the car, and will then fill a bucket with a car wash soap concentrate and water. The user will then soak the cloth in the bucket and proceed to wash the car. Once the car is washed, the user will use the hose to rinse the soap off of the car, and will then dry and wax the car.
While the above procedure works well, the bucket of soapy water becomes dirty after the cloth has been used to scrub the car and then placed back into the bucket. The dirt particles then get caught in the cloth, thereby causing them to be scrubbed into the car once again. In addition, the dirt particles may scratch the paint on the car""s surface.
Use of a bucket of soapy water to wash a car also requires that the user dip his/her hands into the water each time the cloth is soaked. Thus, the user""s hands become wet which in cold weather climates can be uncomfortable, and can also cause the user to drop the cloth, thereby causing it to pick up dirt from the ground.
When cleaning items that may have uneven surfaces, portions of the surface are sometimes missed due to the inability of the cloth (or other cleaning implement) to contour around the uneven surface. Thus, some portions of uneven surfaces may not get as clean as the remaining portions of the surface.
It is therefore a principal object and advantage of the present invention to provide a wash mitt assembly that straps to and contours a person""s hand, thereby making it easier to handle.
It is a further object and advantage of the present invention to provide a wash mitt assembly that can contour around uneven surfaces.
It is another object and advantage of the present invention to provide a wash mitt assembly that may be directly interconnected to a water supply, such as a hose, or a cleaning implement, such as a pole.
It is yet an additional object and advantage of the present invention to provide a wash mitt assembly that is durable and easily manufactured.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will in part be obvious, and in part appear hereinafter.
In accordance with the foregoing objects and advantages, the present invention provides a wash mitt assembly comprising a rigid or semi-rigid body and a cloth connected to the body. The body includes an exterior surface that is generally concave in shape, a hose receiving recess formed in the exterior surface along its longitudinal axis, a strap extending transversely across the recess, and openings formed through opposing sides of the recess for receiving nozzles of a hose coupling therein. The cloth includes a drawstring stitched about its periphery and is removably connected to the body in complete covering relation to the body""s inwardly facing surface (although a cloth that is permanently affixed to the body could also be used, the removable connection is preferred due to the versatility it offers the tool). To connect the cloth to the body, the body is positioned on the cloth, and the drawstring of the cloth is pulled taut so that the edge of the body is encompassed within the edge of the cloth.
A hose receiving coupling including an internally threaded portion to which a hose (or other cleaning implement, such as a pole) may be connected and a pair of nozzles extending outwardly from opposing sides of the coupling is connected to the body with the nozzles extending through the openings formed in opposing sides of the hose receiving recess. A hose (or other cleaning implement, such as a pole) may be connected to the coupling and positioned within the recess formed in the exterior surface of the body. Soap may be dispensed on the cloth, and when the hose is turned on water will flow through the nozzles of the coupling and continuously soak the cloth. A user may place his/her hand through the strap and wash the car by in scrubbing it with the assembly. It should be pointed out that the present invention could certainly be used to clean items other than cars, but cars are referred to herein for purposes of showing an exemplary use of the invention.